The present invention relates to mirror balls. More particularly, although not exclusively, the invention relates to an internally motorised mirror ball having a pair of counter-rotating reflective hemispheres separated by a rotating equator.
Known mirror balls are suspended from an overhead structure such as the ceiling joist and rotate due to air moving around the room. Other known mirror balls are mounted upon a vertical motor-driven shaft.
The above mirror balls reflect standard patterns of light providing spots that moves about the walls in a known and expected manner.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an internally motorised mirror ball having counter-moving reflective surfaces to provide a more interesting lighting effect.
There is disclosed herein a mirror ball comprising:
a shaft having a static drive transmission member attached thereto or formed integrally therewith,
a motor attached directly or indirectly to the shaft,
a spindle co-linear with the shaft and having a radially extending arm having a rotating drive transmission member attached thereto and engaging with the static drive transmission member,
a drive train transmitting output of the motor to cause rotation of the spindle with respect to the shaft to thereby cause rotation of the spindle and moving interaction between the rotating drive transmission member and the static drive transmission member, and
a shell fixed to the rotating drive transmission member and having reflective surfaces thereon.
Preferably the static drive transmission member is a bevel gear and the rotating drive transmission member is a bevel gear in mesh with the static drive transmission member.
Preferably a further arm extends radially from the spindle in a direction opposite to that of the radially extending arm and has a counter-rotating drive transmission member attached thereto and engaging with the static drive transmission member, and the mirror ball further comprises another shell having reflective surfaces thereon and fixed to the counter-rotating drive transmission member.
Preferably the shells are substantially hemispherical and in combination substantially spherical.
Preferably there is an equatorial ring attached to the spindle in between the shells.
Preferably the equatorial ring has reflective surfaces thereon.
Preferably the drive train comprises a spindle gear attached to or formed integrally with the spindle and a reduction gearbox transmitting output of the motor to the spindle gear.
Preferably the shaft extends from a base and supports the mirror ball.